Another Mare
by Razorbats
Summary: When an ancient, powerful demon is resurrected in Equestria, the ponies face the greatest challenge of their lives. And, as the country descends into a twisted web of deceit and betrayal, decisions will determine the fate of this and every other world.


I craned my neck, wincing as stiff bones popped and feeling the slight ache from the strain on my tortured shoulders. Peering out the dusty window beside me, I could just make out the blurry orange outline of Applejack and Winona walking toward the school with Applebloom. Sighing I looked at my watch.

8:10 AM. Class had just started.

Yet again, it was Monday and Twilight was trying to invoke another one of her plans. This latest one involving the termination of my homeschooling, and my enrollment at Ponyville Middle School. Though she kept insisting it was at Princess Celestia's request, that I get out of the house and go meet ponies my own age like she herself had done. I soon learned from Spike that she had been talking to Rarity and Applejack about last month's explosion that freed the Timberwolves into Sweet Apple Acres. Something she had explained away to everyone else as a random science experiment to test a new magical portal. Yeah right, science experiment indeed. Running a gloved hoof through my light green hair, I sighed and turned back to what the other students were doing.

"Morning class!" Charming Crescent, one of the Algebra teachers exclaimed, as he stumbled through the door carrying a large box of papers. "Before we begin today's lesson, I would like to take care of something first. As most of you might have already noticed. We have a new student in our midst today."

Instantly, everyone's eyes snapped to me. In the course of five seconds, my good mood was replaced with the feeling of twenty-five pairs of eyes drilling into my skull. Even Mr. Crescent's yellow one's seemed intrigued by the student who had arrived with Twilight this morning. Behind him, there was a stallion silently cracking his hooves as he sized me up. Being as unostentatious as I could, I slid down further in my seat.

"Midnight Sparkle, is it?" Mr. Crescent asked, looking over his notes. "Why don't you come on up to the front and tell us about yourself?"

I ignored him.

"Midnight? Don't be shy, it's just fifteen minutes of peer judgement. Hardly anything to worry about."

Again I ignore him, this time slipping my backpack over my head.

"Mr. Sparkle. If you don't get your little flank up here. I'll be forced to send you to the office. Whereas you'll be immediately sent home."

A few students laughed at this. Some even going as far as throwing in some chicken noises.

Cursing my luck, I reluctantly obliged. Standing in front of the class, my eyes scanned the room for any friendly faces. All i got were twenty-five sneering faces that made me regret ever listening to Twilight about this.

"Well as you said, my name is Midnight." I said, flashing a smile. "As for a little about myself, there's not much to tell. I'm a simple pony with the simplest of needs."

Not the best speech ever, but it got my point across. At least nopony was kicking my flank...yet. So I'll take this as a victory.

"You can't be serious." Mr. Crescent said, interrupting my self praise. "Isn't there something else you want to tell us?"

"No that's about all of it." I replied slowly backing toward my seat. "Like I said. I'm not that complicated."

It was around this time that I proceeded to trip over something in the aisle and fell to the floor.

The room erupted in shrill laughter, as I swiftly picked myself off the floor. I could feel my cheeks burning from the embarrassment.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Did I trip you?" A voice asked behind me. "Maybe you should look where you're going next time."

Now I had two choices: I could turn around, face the jerk and most definitely break his nose. Or, I could continue to my seat. Being the rational pony that I was known for, and remembering the wise threats Twilight had made before school, I walked away.

And being the typical jerk, he began making loud clucking sounds.

"What's wrong Middy? Are you normally a pathetic mare?"

 _Pathetic_? My vision flickered slightly as I listened. Not thinking much of it I leaned against the wall.

"That's enough Lightning Rain." Charming Crescent voiced, appearing next to me and setting a hoof on my shoulder. "Or do you wish to go visit the principal again?"

"Sheesh. I'm just having fun, Mr. Crescent. Lighten up."

 _Lighten up_? Again my vision flickered. This time showing everyone as shadowy red outlines.

"Yeah, he's right. It was just a silly prank right?" I said, wrapping a hoof around the pegasus' neck.

"Yeah, see he gets it." Lightning Rain smiled, rubbing a hoof through my mane. "It's all just harmless fun."

"Yeah I get it." I agreed walking back to my seat. Seconds later the pegasus' mane caught on fire.

"Ex-AHHHHHHHHH!"

Lightning Rain started running around the room hysterically, as he tried his best to put out the flames. Mr. Crescent was running behind him, trying his best to make use of the fire extinguisher. During all this, everyone else could only watch on in silence as the two rushed passed them. None of them having the faintest idea what was going on.

"Fire!" Lightning Rain screamed.

"Hold still!" Mr. Crescent shouted.

After five minutes of this, the poor pony tripped and fell, his body becoming fully engulfed. Taking the opportunity, Mr. Crescent started spraying him. Eventually, the fire was put out, but Lightning Rain was still lying prone on the floor.

"Feather Rise, go get the nurse…and the principal." Mr. Crescent ordered.

"Is he alright?" An orange mare asked.

Mr. Crescent sighed. "He's...I'm going to call 911, we need to get him to a hospital. There is nothing I can do for him here."

Everyone exchanged looks with each other. Fear, confusion, and worry on most of their face.

 _What happened?_

* * *

"What a morning" I muttered to myself as I collapsed against a wall. School is tougher than I thought. And I thought having Celestia and Twilight teach me for the first few years of my life was a pain in the flank. Barely an hour into it and everything was already falling apart. Besides having to deal with all the schoolwork and everything that comes with it, being mistaken for a pitiful orphan who took advantage of Miss Twilight's generosity by students and even a few teachers, being a student wasn't looking like much fun.

Also, what happened back in class? I remembered seeing Lightning Rain's mane catch fire after he tripped me, but then nothing. I awake on the floor next to a dead body, a crippling headache, and suspicious faces. From what I could gather from those who would talk to me, the guy's head spontaneously combusted by itself. And nopony seemed to be able to conjure up a flame by themselves. So, was it me? There are images. Thoughts or whatever that keep popping up. Hatred. Amusement. Laughter. Domination. What happened?

As I silently mused over this, the hallway filled with laughter as I walked past a group of ponies huddled near the gym. As I watched, they threw something against the wall and it gave a high-pitched scream. Curious pony that I was I ventured closer. And almost killed somepony. There on the ground laying in her a pool of blood, surrounded by four older ponies holding knives and dressed in red leather jackets, was the pulverized body of Sweetie Belle.

Ignoring me, one of the ponies motioned to Sweetie Belle's prone body. Nodding their heads, a pony with bright green magical runes along his back and a muscle bound one broke from the group and roughly forced their victim to her hooves. From the way she grimaced when she stood, I guessed that her left leg was broken. Utterly helpless, Sweetie Belle started pleading with the gang, promising various favors if they would let her go. Unfortunately, the leader, a small stallion in a mask, refused to listen. He pulled back his hoof to hit her, grinning deviously.

 _WHUMP!_

The hoof makes contact with her stomach. Sweetie Belle screamed as she coughed up blood. For a moment she looked in my direction. Our eyes met for a few seconds. It was evident she recognized.

Help me. Please.

The leader pulled back his fist again.

 _CRACK!_

His fist slammed into my cheek this time, knocking loose one of my teeth. Surprised, he staggered back a few feet.

"That all you got?" I asked, spitting blood at the leader's feet. Behind me, Sweetie Belle gave a low sigh.

For a few moments everyone was silent. Everyone too shocked by my sudden appearance to move. Much less say anything. They all just stared at me with vacant stares. For five minutes. Five whole minutes. Finally, the leader broke the silence.

"Who the heck are you?" He asked in a strangely high voice. He turned to his other lackey, a stallion in a white full body costume and a hood. "Thunder Gear, what is this?"

Instead of answering I broke into a fit of laughter, brought on by hearing a stallion that sounded like he had ingested helium.

The leader turned back to me. "Something funny?" He asked.

"It's your voice dude. You sound like a mare!" I said, struggling to breathe. "It's really quite hilarious."

"And that's funny?"

"I think it is." I said giving him a goofy grin.

"Well guess what genius. I am a mare."

I stopped laughing and looked back at the leader. He looked serious. "You're a mare?"

"Yes. That would explain why my voice is so high." The leader nodded. He motioned to his body,which consisted of black boots, makeup, and a bracelet around her right forehoof, in addition to the leather jacket. How did I miss that? "Also why my parents named me Peach Darling when they had me."

I continued to stare blankly. Struggling to comprehend how a mare had just punched me hard enough to knock a tooth loose.

Sighing the gang leader shook her head. "Thunder Gear. Brawny. Chaust. Teach this fool the difference between stallions and mares."

Instantly, I was surrounded by the lackeys. Brawny, the muscular one, grabbed my forehooves and pinned them roughly behind me. Then Chaust, the one with the curse marks on his back, and Thunder Gear took turns punching me in the stomach, head, and other areas.

"So you little dipstick, learn your lesson yet?" Thunder Gear said, delivering another punch in the stomach.

"That you're just a bunch of lowlife punks who'd be nothing without your precious leader over there? Who hits harder than you punks?" I tried, spitting up blood.

Thunder Gear delivered another punch to my gut. "Try again."

"How about, only cowards pick on those who can't fight back?" I said. "Is that it?"

"Cowards, eh?" Thunder Gear pulled out a knife. Winking at me, he proceeded to cut a thin line across my cheek. I grimaced internally. "Who's the coward again?"

I answered him with a swift kick between the hindlegs.

"AHHHHHHH!" He shouted, dropping the knife.

Next, the back of my head became good friends with Brawny's nose, breaking it. Screaming, he released my limbs and shortly afterwards, he also received a kick to the privates.

Lastly, in front of me, was Chaust. I've had enough practice with curse marks to know I won't be able to get away with a simple kick. So I'll just have to try something else. Except, for some reason he wasn't attacking. Confused, I looked around for the last lackey. Nothing. Where did he go?

Suddenly, there's a knife at my neck cutting off my ability to breathe: Peach Darling.

"You fight well newbie. What's your name?" She asked.

"Midnight." I answered, looking down at the blood tainted floor.

"Midnight." She repeated, spitting it out like poison. "Well, Midnight. You got lucky today. Usually I wouldn't hesitate to get back at someone who crosses me, but I like you. So I'll let you go."

 _Gee thanks._

"But." Peach Darling pushed the knife deeper into my neck and moved closer to my ear. "If you ever try a stunt like that again. I won't be so forgiving. Capiche?"

I nodded.

"Good boy." The knife removed from my neck. Then before I could relax, she kissed me on the cheek.

"What?"

Peach Darling winked at me and turned to leave with her ruffled gang. Brawny, nursing a broken nose. And Thunder Gear making obscene gestures as he struggled to help his friend. Neither looked like he'd be bothering anyone for a while.

Shaking my head, I turned back to their victim. A wrecked Sweetie Belle slowly dragging herself onto a bench.

"You okay Sweetie Belle?" I asked, as I sat down beside her. Her body was covered in various cuts from where the thugs' knives touched her.

She nodded. "I'm sorry you had to see that."

I shrugged, "I had fun to be honest. Does it happen often?"

She nodded again. " Everyday. I'd fight back but Rarity wouldn't be very happy if she knew I got into fights."

"She wouldn't like you getting your flank handed to you either." I pointed out.

"You have a point."

I sighed, giving her a hug. "Come on let's go get you fixed up."


End file.
